Thursday, March 31, 2011

Article by Joelynn Chin

The long drive to Taman Botani, Putrajaya did not deter the
eight students eager to learn the art of book binding in a 2-day workshop
conducted by crafter Samsiah Jendol (better known as Syam).

It was her first class for the public, and I was invited by
my long time friend to be part of it. I first knew Syam when we worked in the
same ad agency about nine years ago. When I left, she made me a farewell
present. It was a lovely little book hand-bounded with a fabric-wrapped cover.

Even back then, Syam was already a keen crafter. Six months
ago, she decided to do it full time and quit her corporate job as creative
designer. Bookbinding was just one of the crafting skills she picked up during
her student days at the Wanganui School of Design in New Zealand.

Having taught the art to students at Dasein Academy of Art
in Kuala Lumpur, it was just a matter of time before Syam opened her class decided
to the public.

The crafting community is quite a close-knit one, so it was
no surprise that almost everyone in her first class had some sort of arts
experience. There was a graphic
designer, a craft shop owner, a tutor on interior designer, a jewelry designer and
two from the collaborative craft group OH&AH.

Being in such fine company, I was a little worried that I would
not be able to keep up with the rest. The last time I dabbled in any sort of
handwork was way back in school. Patience and concentration are not my virtues.

Thankfully, Syam let us take baby steps with the most basic,
Japanese stab binding. This technique is for binding loose pages and soft
covers together, much like the old kung fu manuals. Confidence gained, we then moved
on to the fancier hemp-leaf binding.

Beauty under cover

The second half of Day 1 is where it gets really
interesting. And complicated.

When you pick up a book, do you notice its binding? Probably
not. Aside from spiral binding for notebooks and comb binding used on office
documents, the technique that holds pages together are often hidden under the
spine. Which is just as well because there’s really nothing to see with pages
glued together. But with kettle stitch binding, the spine is best left
exposed to show the beautiful work.

We had to work harder with the kettle stitch. It was a good
thing Syam provided us with pre-cut papers and hard board, which came in a
lovely silkscreen bag she made herself. So ‘all’ we had to do was drill holes
into the hard board and saw folded sections of paper (signature) to make little
holes for the stitches. No blood was spilled but fingers were pricked. Cotton
tape, ribbon, leather or even paper strap are used as a ‘bone’ to attach all
the signatures together and make the book structure stronger.

Book binding is not just about being creative with the
stitching. Material selection also adds to the beauty of the final product.
From the fabric to wrap the cover to the colours of the thread and paper, they
all have a part in making a handmade book unique and personal.

Day 2 introduced me to what would
be my favourite technique – Coptic binding. The aesthetic of the chain stitch is
simple yet beautiful. This technique was developed by the Copts of Egypt in the
2nd century AD. Coptic binding is favoured for journals
because the book can opened 360 degrees and laid flat without creasing the
spine.

The rest of
the day was spent finishing up our work and putting personal touches to our
books, like sewing fasteners and adding beads. Being the impatient person that
I am, I had to undo my stitches many times due to hasty mistakes. Since the class was small, Syam could
give each of us some personal attention, and I needed a lot because I kept
forgetting the steps. Book binding is a skill you need to practice
constantly.

Some of the inspired
students did their homework the night before by making more books at home with Syam’s
book binding starter kit. I just
didn’t have the discipline.

Checking out the
work of others helped me understand the motivation that drives them. Lay Hoon,
a quantity surveyor in her early 30s, joined the workshop to learn how to bind
her art journals. It was the same with Norrashidah, a 29-year-old tutor who
wanted to make her own photo album.

For
Fazaleena, a working mother in the airline industry, it was a matter of picking
up a creative skill. Book binding seemed like something that she could learn
and does not require a natural artistic talent, like drawing or sewing.

Lee Wan Fong (Mimmy) on the other hand, joined the workshop
with her boyfriend as it was an interesting activity they could do together,
better than hitting the shopping malls. Mimmy also has plans to open a shop for
handmade creations, so workshops such as this help her understand how crafters
work.

For myself, the workshop was a fine way to spend a weekend.
I learned something new and have a few beautiful books to show for it. Plus,
spending time with such spirited company gave me a whole new appreciation for
crafting.

LITTLESYAM

HELLO THERE! I am a Freelance Graphic Designer balancing life by creating my own art & craft products. Each whimsical art & craft under my label LittleSyam are labour of love depicted by nature, surrounding, past experience & personal expression.
I am taking my life slowly nowadays and looking forwards to experience new things by embrace small little stuffs that I have taken for granted all this while. By sharing important moment and process I went through, I hope I could inspire, connect and make everyone smile:). Appreciate you could ask a permission of any pictures you wish to use. I can be contacted at littlesyam@gmail.com. Thanks for drop by & have a wonderful day //syam